Vacation

All good things come to an end, and that includes vacation as well. Settling back into work is hard especially when you're missing the sun and sand or whatever you immersed yourself in during your travels, but the vacation bliss doesn't have to end. It's said that people reap more benefit from multiple short vacations rather than one long one, because we derive most of the pleasure of our trip from planning. Personally, I think there are plenty of happy aftereffects as well.

I recently took a trip and am determined to make the happy travel buzz last for a good while. Here are some simple strategies I've been using:

Put Your Memories on Facebook: Upload your images and videos of the trip onto Facebook and watch the discussions begin! It's fun to see friends commenting back and forth on pictures and videos, and it'll be a constant reminder of the special moments you captured of your trip with your camera.

Buy Souvenirs: A souvenir is a physical memory of the fantastic time you had on your travels. Leave it around your house or at the office to inspire some awesome daydreams. Reader Lovely_1 puts it best when she said, "I like to buy something nice for my home that i can display. Then when someone comments on it I can be like 'Oh, I got that in Fiji!'"

For more ways to memorialize your trip, read on.

I love a beach vacay, but after two days of lounging on the sand I am itching to move. Many beach towns have bike shops that rent to tourists, but I give the beautiful (and heavy) cruisers a pass and rent a road bike — at some stores you can arrange a rental for an entire week. Almost as important as packing your cycling shorts (riding with a chamois keeps everyone happy) is to bring your shoes and pedals; they are a set and literally made for each other. And there is no guarantee that the beach-town bike store will have pedals to match your cleats.

You can remove your pedals yourself with a pedal wrench (one costs anywhere between $15 and $25). Just remember the pedals are threaded differently; the right one is removed counterclockwise and the left side pedal removed clockwise. Not into DIY bike maintenance? Your hometown bike shop can help you too for a minimum labor charge around $5. Only thing is, you will have to drive or walk your bike home, unless you have an extra set of pedals to spare. If you have room in your suitcase, pack your seat too. I have found rental bikes can have mighty uncomfortable saddles. Be sure to check out Map My Ride for routes at your vacation destination.

Do you ride while you're on vacay?

Whether you're jet-setting out of town to beat the heat or searching for it, Summer vacation can mean a few dehydrating, monotonous, or stressful hours on an airplane before you reach your rest and relaxation destination.

If you're gearing up for a long flight, make sure you're prepared so you can make those hours as healthy as they can be. Before you go on vacation, read these tips to make sure you have a healthy and safe flight.

Germ fighter. The air in there may not be as dangerously full of germs as you may think — in fact, airplane air is often filtered more often than the air in most office buildings — but that doesn't mean you're not more susceptible to diseases when you're up in the sky. While the coughs and sneezes of your fellow passengers may not make you ill, the fast turnaround times between flights means that certain areas on planes don't regularly get disinfected like they should. Carry a bottle of hand sanitizer for a quick wipe down of your area when you first sit down.

Read on for more tips on having a healthy flight.

We all need vacations sometime during the year, because they make for a great break from the daily grind and are great for our mental well-being to boot. The New York Times provided several tips from travel experts on how one can maximize the benefits of trips. Here are a few of my favorites:

• Take some time to chill before vacation. Most of us often work ourselves to the bone right before vacation, and perhaps we're trying to make up for the time we're going to be spending out of the office. Al Gini, the author of The Importance of Being Lazy, recommends travelers take a few days to unwind before heading off to their trips. Setting aside a day just for packing or making last-minute plans is highly recommended.
• Have a happy ending. Try to end your trip on a good note, do your best to plan a great activity before your flight; make your last memory one of the best. Pack the night before your departure so you can enjoy your last activity and not have to rush. Book reservations at a quaint restaurant you've been eager to try or take one last leisurely walk to soak in the local sights.
• Shorten the length of your trip. It's been advised that taking a couple of short trips can be more beneficial than taking one long trip, as one of the best parts of travel is the anticipation. Jeroen Nawijn, a tourism research lecturer at Netherland University, tells the Times that he "found that the length of stay has very little influence on how people feel during a trip or afterwards."

Do you have more tips for a happy holiday?

Whether you live in a large home or a tiny apartment, opening your doors to guests can test any girl's patience. Living in a popular tourist destination like San Francisco, my futon hosts a steady stream of family and friends worn out from a day exploring the city. With Summer in full swing, I'm sure you may play travel guide yourself to some vacationing acquaintances staying at your pad. Here are five tips to keeping your sanity and relationships in tact!

• Ask your guests ahead of time what they really want to do, and then plan accordingly. If they want see an art exhibit in town, search out a deal on tickets for a day that's convenient for your schedule. If they have a restaurant in mind, book a reservation so you don't have to scramble at the last minute. Setting your expectations accurately in advance will also help you stay sane.
• Do a walk through when they arrive. Show them how to close your shower curtain so your floor doesn't get soaking wet and you don't get inevitably annoyed. Point out the food they're free to eat, so they feel comfortable and you don't feel resentful when they go through your fridge.
• When you're straightening up before they arrive, clean out some space you can dedicate to them. Whether it's a shelf in the bathroom or some room in your hall closet for their suitcases, clear out the room ahead of time so your place doesn't feel too cluttered with their possessions.
• Pencil in some alone time. Don't be afraid to opt out of a dinner to make sure you get some time in your apartment alone. Or opt in to a work function so you have a reason to socialize with people other than your visitors. Whether it's a girlfriend or your parents, they'll probably appreciate some time to themselves, too. And if you want to go the extra mile, make an extra set of keys to guarantee they have some independence.
• Plan a night in, perhaps on their last night. By the end of a visitor's stay, you'll likely be worn out. So instead of pushing through one more night of cocktails and heavy restaurant fare, relax at home by ordering in or making a healthy dinner. And next time you find yourself staying at someone's place, offer to do the grocery shopping, and then cook for your hostess on your last night!